أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أُحَذِّرُكُمُ الدُّنْيَا،
So now, certainly I frighten you from this world
فَإِنَّهَا حُلْوَةٌ خَضِرِةٌ،
for it is sweet and green,
حُفَّتْ بِالشَّهَوَاتِ،
surrounded by lusts,
وَتَحَبَّبَتْ بِالْعَاجِلَةِ،
and liked for its immediate enjoyments.
وَرَاقَتْ بِالْقَلِيلِ،
It excites wonder with small things,
وَتَحَلَّتْ بِالاْمَالِ،
is ornamented with (false) hopes
وَتَزَيَّنَتْ بِالْغُرُورِ،
and decorated with deception.
لاَ تَدُومُ حَبْرَتُهَا،
Its rejoicing does not last
وَلاَ تُؤْمَنُ فَجْعَتُهَا،
and its afflictions cannot be avoided.
غَرَّارَةٌ ضَرَّارَةٌ،
It is deceitful, harmful,
حَائِلَةٌ زَائِلَةٌ،
changing, perishable,
نَافِدَةٌ بَائِدَةٌ،
exhaustible, liable to destruction,
أَكَّالَةٌ غَوَّالَةٌ،
eating away and destructive.
لاَ تَعْدُوـ إِذَا تَنَاهَتْ إِلَى أُمْنِيَّةِ أَهْلِ الرَّغْبَةِ فِيهَا والرضى بِهَا ـ
When it reaches the extremity of desires of those who incline towards it and feel happy with it,
أَنْ تَكُونَ كَمَا قَالَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وتعالى:
the position is just what Allah, the Glorified, says (in the Qur'an):
(كَمَاء أَنْزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّماَءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاْرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيماً تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ وَكَانَ اللهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْء مُقْتَدِراً).
... like the water which send We down from heaven, and the herbage of the earth mingleth with it, then it becometh dry stubble which the winds scatter; for Allah over all things hath power. (18:45)
لَمْ يَكُنِ امْرُؤٌ مِنْهَا فِي حَبْرَةٍ إِلاَّ أَعْقَبَتْهُ بَعْدَهَا عَبْرَةً
No person gets rejoicing from this world but tears come to him after it,
وَلَمْ يَلْقَ منْ سَرَّائِهَا بَطْناًئف إِلاَّ مَنَحَتْهُ مِنْ ضَرَّائِهَا ظَهْراً
and no one gets its comforts in the front but he has to face hardships in the rear.
وَلَمْ تَطُلَّهُ فِيهَا دِيمَةُ رَخَاءٍ إِلاَّ هَتَنَتْ عَلَيهِ مُزْنَةُ بَلاَءٍ!
No one receives the light rain of ease in it but the heavy rain of distress pours upon him.
وَحَرِيٌّ إِذَا أَصْبَحَتْ لَهُ مُنْتَصِرَةً أَنْ تُمْسِيَ لَهُ مُتَنَكِّرَةً،
It is just worthy of this world that in the morning it supports a man but in the evening it does not recognise him.
وَإِنْ جَانِبٌ مِنْهَا اعْذَوْذَبَ وَاحْلَوْلَى، أَمَرَّ مِنْهَا جَانِبٌ فَأَوْبَى.
If one side of it is sweet and pleasant the other side is bitter and distressing.
لاَ يَنَالُ امْرُؤٌ مِنْ غَضَارَتِهَارَغَباً إِلاَّ أَرْهَقَتْهُ مِنْ نَوَائِبِهَا تَعَباً!
No one secures enjoyment from its freshness but he has to face hardship from its calamities.
وَلاَ يُمْسِي مِنْهَا فِي جَنَاحِ أَمْنٍ، إِلاَّ أَصْبَحَ عَلَى قَوَادِمِ خَوْفٍ!
No one would pass the evening under the wing of safety but that his morning would be under the feathers of the wing-tip of fear.
غَرَّارَةٌ، غُرُورٌ مَا فِيهَا،
It is deceitful, and all that is there in it is deception.
فَانِيَةٌ، فَانٍ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا،
It is perishable and all that is on it is to perish.
لاَ خَيْرَ في شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَزْوَادِهَا إِلاَّ التَّقْوَى.
There is no good in its provisions except in piety.
مَنْ أَقَلَّ مِنْهَا اسْتَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يُؤْمِنُهُ!
Whoever takes little from it collects much of what would give him safety,
وَمَنِ اسْتَكْثَرَ مِنْهَا اسْتَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يُوبِقُهُ
while one who takes much from it takes much of what would ruin him.
وَزَالَ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ عَنْهُ.
He would shortly depart from his collection.
كُمْ مِنْ وَاثِقٍ بِهَا قَدْ فَجَعَتْهُ،
How many people relied on it but it distressed them;
وَذِي طُمَأْنِينَةٍ إِلَيْهَا قَدْ صَرَعَتْهُ،
(how many) felt peaceful with it but it tumbled them down;
وَذِي أُبَّهَةٍ قَدْ جَعَلَتْهُ حَقِيراً،
how many were prestigious but it made them low
وَذِي نَخْوَةٍ قَدْ رَدَّتْهُ ذَلِيلاً!
and how many were proud but it made them disgraceful.
سُلْطَانُهَا دُوَّلٌ
Its authority is changing.
وَعَيْشُهَا رَنِقٌ
Its life is dirty.
وَعَذْبُهَا أُجَاجٌ
Its sweet water is bitter.
وَحُلْوُهَا صَبِرٌ
Its sweetness is like myrrh.
وَغِذَاؤُهَا سِمَامٌ
Its foods are poisons.
وَأَسْبَابُهَا رِمَامٌ
Its means are weak.
حَيُّهَا بِعَرَضِ مَوْتٍ،
The living in it is exposed to death;
وَصَحِيحُهَا بَعَرَضِ سُقْمٍ!
the healthy in it is exposed to disease.
مُلْكُهَا مَسْلُوبٌ،
Its realm is (liable to be) snatched away.
وَعَزِيزُهَا مَغْلُوبٌ،
The strong in it is (liable to be) defeated
وَمَوْفُورُهَا مَنْكُوبٌ،
and the rich is (liable to be) afflicted with misfortune.
وَجَارُهَا مَحْرُوبٌ.
The neighbour in it is (liable to be) plundered.
أَلَسْتُمْ فِي مَسَاكِنِ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ أَطْوَلَ أَعْمَاراً،
Are you not (residing) in the houses of those before you, who were of longer ages,
وَأَبْقَى آثَاراً،
better traces,
وَأَبْعَدَ آمَالاً،
had bigger desires,
وَأَعَدَّ عَدِيداً،
were more in numbers
وَأَكْثَفَ جُنُوداً!
and had greater armies.
تَعَبَّدُوا لِلدُّنْيَا أَيَّ تَعَبُّدٍ،
How they devoted themselves to the world
وَآثَرُوهَا أَيَّ إِيثَارٍ،
and how they showed preference to it!
ثُمَّ ظَعَفُوا عَنْهَا بَغَيْرِ زَادٍ مُبَلِّغٍ
Then they left it without any provision that could convey them through,
وَلاَ ظَهْرٍ قَاطِعٍ.
or the back (of a beast for riding) to carry them.
فَهَلْ بَلَغَكُمْ أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا سَخَتْ لَهُمْ نَفْساً بِفِدْيَةٍ
Did you get the news that the world was ever generous enough to present ransom for them,
أَوْ أَعَانَتْهُمْ بِمَعُونَةٍ؟
or gave them any support
أَوْ أَحْسَنَتْ لَهُمْ صُحْبَةً؟
or afforded them good company?
بَلْ أَرْهَقَتْهُمْ بَالْفَوَادِحِ
It rather inflicted them with troubles,
وَأوْهَنَتْهُمْ بِالْقَوَارِعِ
made them languid with calamities,
وَضَعْضَعَتْهُمْ بِالنَّوَائِبِ،
molested them with catastrophes,
وَعَفَّرَتْهُمْ لِلْمَنَاخِرَ،
threw them down on their noses,
وَوَطِئَتْهُمْ بَالْمَنَاسِمِ
trampled them under hoofs
وَأَعَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ (رَيْبَ الْمَنُونِ)،
and helped the “vicissitudes of time” (52:30) against them.
فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُمْ تَنَكُّرَهَا لِمَنْ دَانَ لَهَا وَآثَرَهَا وَأَخْلَدَ إِلَيْهَا،
You have observed its strangeness towards those who went near it,
حِينَ ظَعَنُوا عَنْهَا لَفِرَاقِ الاْبَدِ.
acquired it and appropriated it, till they depart from it for good.
هَلْ زَوَّدَتْهُمْ إِلاَّ السَّغَبَ
Did it give them any provision other than starvation
أَوْ أَحَلَّتْهُمْ إِلاَّ الضَّنْكَ
or make them stay in other than narrow places,
أوْ نَوَّرَتْ لَهُمْ إِلاَّ الظُّلْمَةَ؟
or give them light other than gloom,
أَوْ أَعْقَبَتْهُمْ إِلاَّ النَّدَامَةَ؟
or give them in the end anything other than repentance?
أَفَهذِهِ تُؤْثِرُونَ؟
Is this what you much ask for
أَمْ إِلَيْهَا تَطْمَئِنُّونَ؟
or remain satisfied with,
أَمْ عَلَيْهَا تَحْرِصُونَ؟
or towards which you feel greedy?
فَبِئْسَتِ الدَّارُ لَمَنْ لَمْ يَتَّهِمْهَا،
How bad is this abode for him who did not suspect it (to be so)
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهَا عَلَى وَجَلٍ مِنْهَا!
and did not entertain fear from it?
فَاعْلَمُوا ـ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ـ بِأَنَّكُمْ تَارِكُوهَا وَظَاعِنُونَ عَنْهَا،
You should know as you do know, that you have to leave it and depart from it.
وَاتَّعِظُوا فِيهَا بِالَّذِينَ (قَالُوا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً):
While in it, take lesson from those "who proclaimed 'who is more powerful than we'" (Qur'an 41:15)
حُمِلُوا إِلَى قُبُورِهِمْ فَلاَ يُدْعَوْنَ رُكْبَاناً
but they were carried to their graves, though not as riders.
وَأُنْزِلُوا الاْجْدَاثَ فَلاَ يُدْعَوْنَ ضِيفَاناً،
They were then made to stay in the graves, but not as guests.
وَجُعِلَ لَهُمْ مِنَ الصَّفِيحِ أَجْنَانٌ
Graves were made for them from the surface of the ground.
وَمِنَ التُّرَابِ أَكْفَانٌ،
Their shrouds were made from earth.
وَمِنَ الرُّفَاتِ جِيرَانٌ .
Old bones were made their neighbour.
فَهُمْ جِيرَةٌ لاَ يُجِيبُونَ دَاعِياً،
They are neighbours who do not answer a caller
وَلاَ يَمْنَعُونَ ضَيْماً،
nor ward off trouble,
وَلاَ يُبَالُونَ مَنْدَبَةً،
nor pay heed to a mourner.
إِنْ جِيدُوا لَمْ يَفْرَحُوا،
If they get rain they do not feel happy,
وَإِنْ قُحِطُوا لَمْ يَقْنَطُوا،
and if they face famine they do not get disappointed.
جَمِيعٌ وَهُمْ آحَادٌ،
They are together but each one apart.
وَجِيرَةٌ وَهُمْ أَبْعَادٌ،
They are close together but do not see each other.
مُتَدَانُونَ لاَ يَتَزَاوَرُونَ، وَقَرِيبُونَ لاَ يَتَقَارَبُونَ،
They are near but do not meet.
حُلَمَاءُ قَدْ ذَهَبَتْ أَضْغَانُهُمْ،
They are enduring and have no hatred.
وَجُهَلاءُ قَدْ مَاتَتْ أَحْقَادُهُمْ،
They are ignorant and their malice has died away.
لاَ يُخْشَى فَجْعُهُمْ،
There is no fear of trouble from them
وَلاَ يُرْجَى دَفْعُهُمْ،
and no hope of their warding off (troubles).
اسْتَبْدَلُوا بِظَهْرِ الاْرْضِ بَطْناً،
They have exchanged the back (surface) of the earth with its stomach (interior),
وَبِالسَّعَةِ ضِيقاً،
vastness with narrowness,
وَبِالاْهْلِ غُرْبَةً،
family with loneliness,
وَبِالنُّورِ ظُلْمَةً،
and light with darkness.
فَجَاؤُوهَا كَمَا فَارَقُوهَا،
They have come to it (this world) as they had left it with bare feet
حُفَاةً عُرَاةً،
and naked bodies.
قَدْ ظَعَنُوا عَنْهَا بِأَعْمَالِهِمْ إِلَى الْحَيَاةِ الْدَّائِمَةِ
They departed from it with their acts towards the continuing life
وَالدَّارِ الْبَاقِيَةِ،
and everlasting house
كَمَا قَالَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ:
as Allah has said:
(كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْق نُعِيدُهُ وَعْداً عَلَيْنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ).
. . . As We caused the first creation, so will We get it return. (It is) a promise binding Us, verily We were doing it. (Qur'an, 21:104)
Alternative Sources for Sermon 111: Al-Marzbani, al-Muniq, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, II, 242;) al-Harrani, Tuhaf, 127; al-Qadi al-Quda’i, Dustur, 51; Ibn Talhah, Matalib, 144; Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihayah, I, 18, 25, 308; al-Jahiz, al-Bayan, II, 112; Ibn Qutaybah,’Uyun, II, 250.
